Mail-box.



A. A. KELLOGG.

\\\\i\ll\lkliiklunllnnux: .A I IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII/lffFIIIIIIIIIIII Patented Jan. 26, 1909.

m: NORRIS PE'IERS co, wAsRINc'rcn, n. c.

ALBERT A. KELLOGG, OF CLTNTQN, MISSOURI.

MAIL-BOX.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 26, 1909.

Application filed. September 12, 1907. Serial No. 392,584.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALBERT A. KELLOGG, a citizen of the United States, residing at Clinton, in the county of Henry and State of Missouri, have invented a new and useful Mail-Box, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to improvements in mail boxes.

The object of the present invention is to improve the construction of mail boxes, and to provide a simple and comparatively inexpensive mail box, designed particularl for use in large cities where the mail is col lected at short intervals, and where hotels, ofiice buildings, and the like are equipped with mail boxes, and adapted to display a signal for indicating the presence of mail matter, whereby when such signal is not displayed, it will be unnecessary for a letter carrier to open the box, thereby effecting a great saving of both time and labor in the collection of mail.

A further object of the invention is to provide a signal of this character, which will be unaffected by the mere opening and closing of the lid of the box, and which will be displayed only when a piece of mail matter is deposited in the box.

The invention also has for its object to provide a signal adapted, when displayed, to be automatically reset by the opening of the door of the mail box, when the same is opened to remove the mail, and capable of being reset only by such opening the mail box, so that any movement of the signal by inquisitive, or other unauthorized persons will not reset the signal and cause the box to appear empty, when there is mail matter within it.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in the construction and novel combination of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawing, and pointed out in the claims hereto appended; it being understood that various changes in the form, proportion, size and minor details of construction, within the scope of the claims, may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantagesof the invention.

In the drawing :Figure 1 is a transverse sectional view of a mail box, constructed in accordance with this invention and illuschute when the lid is open,

trating the arrangement of the parts when the signal'is' set. 'Fig. 2 is a similar view, illustrating the arrangement of the parts when the signal is tripped and displayed. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional View, taken substantially on the line of Fig. 1, the door being open.

Like numerals of reference designate corresponding parts in all the figures of the drawing.

1 designates a letter box, designed to be constructed of suitable material and having the form of an ordinary mail box, and pro vided at the top with an opening 2 to permit mail matter to be deposited in it. The mail box is equipped with a curved lid 3, normally covering the entrance slot or opening 2, and carried by an oscillatory chute 4, which is pivoted to the ends of the mail box by a horizontal rod 5, rivets or the like. The chute 4, which is downwardly tapered, is provided at the back with projecting webs or flanges 6, through which the pivot 5 passes, and the weight of the'chute lies in advance of the pivot and causes the same to automatically close the lid 3when the same is free to move. The chute is also of sufficient weight to automatically operate the mechanism hereinafter described for tripping and displaying a signal 7, as hereinafter more fully explained. The letter box is provided at the slot 2 with a depressed lip or portion 8, which extends beneath and is overlapped by the lid 3, when the latter is closed. The sides of the chute are recessed at their upper edges at 9 to clear the lip or projecting portion 8, and are provided adjacent to the same with arcuate edges. The chute inclines downwardly and rearwardly from the front portion of the mail box when the lid is closed and its upper portion is swung rearwardly by the opening oi the lid, which movement carries the lower portion of the chute towards the front of the box from the position shown in Fig. lot the drawing to that illustrated in Fig. 2. The mail box is provided beneath the chute with an inclined shelf 10, extending rearwardly from the front wall of the mail box and terminating at a point below the front wall of the chute, when the lid is in its closed position. The shelf, which extends the entire length of the mail box, is located beneath the open lower end of the so that any mail box is provided at the'opening 11 with an upwardly extending guard 12 and the signal is connected with a crank arm 13 of a rock shaft 1 1 by a stem 15. The rock shaft is journaled in suitable bearing eyes 16, located at and preferably formed integral with the rear edge of the shelf 10. The signal, which is located at one end of the box, is arranged adjacent to the rear wall thereof, and the stem, which extends upwardly, is curved inwardly and is provided with a straight upper portion having a longitudinal slot 17, through which the crank arm 13 of the rock shaft passes. The straight slotted upper portion is arranged in substantially a vertical position, when the signal is displayed, and it permits the signal to move vertically independ ently of the crank arm, so that if the signal should be raised by inquisitive, or other unauthorized persons, it will not affect the position of the rock shaft and when released will drop by gravity to its exposed position. By this construction any tampering with the signal will not reset it. The crank arm is provided at its end with a head, or other suitable means for retaining the stern of the signal on it. The rock shaft also carries an oscillatory member 18, which constitutes a portion of the operating or tripping mechanism for displaying the signal, and is adapted to be moved by an actuating member 19.

'The member 18 consists of a plate or piece,

extending upwardly from the rock shaft, when the signal is set and provided with eyes 20 through which the rock shaft passes and which are rigidly connected with the same. The member 18 is also provided with a series of triangular projections or teeth 21, forming a plurality of arms for the rock shaft, and adapted to be engaged by a letter, or other piece of mail matter, as hereinafter fully explained.

- The actuating member 19 is preferably formed integral with the front wall of the chute, and it forms a depending continuation of the same, and is provided at the bottom with tapering projections or teeth 22, corresponding in shape to those of the lower member 18 and arranged in staggered relation with the same, that is to say, the teeth or projections 22 of the actuating member 'are located opposite the intervals between the projections or teeth of the lower member 18. The upper actuating member is located in rear of and is spaced from the lower trated in Fig. 1.

member, when the lid is closed and the mail box is empty, and it swingspast the rock shaft and the lower member in the opening and closing movements of the lid, and is arranged to clear the lower member when the mail box is empty, so that the mere opening and closing of the lid will not operate or trip the signal and display the same. When the lid is open, the upper actuating member 19 is arranged in spaced relation with the lower member, and if a letter, or other piece of mail matter is dropped into the chute, it will fall between the two members and the chute, and in its closing movement will carry such letter or mail matter into engagement with the lower member, which will be swung rearwardly from the position shown in Fig. 1 of the drawing to that illustrated in Fig. 2. This tripping movement drops the signal through the opening of the bottom of the mail box and displays the same. It will thus be seen that the mail matter operatively connects the spaced members of the operating or tripping mechanism and causes the same to trip the signal in the closing movement of the lid. W hen the signal is set, the arm of the rock shaft extends upwardly and forwardly at an inclination being carried beyond a vertical position or the center by the setting movement hereinafter explained. The actuating member 19 is adapted in the closing movement of the lid to carry mail matter rearwardly over the inclined shelf to cause such mail matter to drop to the lower portion of the box.

The signal is set by means of a lifting rod 23 and a cam 24. The lifting rod, which has a forwardly curved upper portion, is provided at its upper end with an eye 25, which receives the crank arm of the rock shaft, and the said lifting rod is provided at its lower portion with a fork 26, which straddles the guard 12, whereby the downward movement of downward swing of the crank arm and the lower member are limited. The lower forked portion of the lifting rod also strad dles the cam 24:, which is mounted on and constitutes one of the sides or wings of the door 27 of the mail box. The door 27, which is arranged at one end of the mail box in the usual manner, is hinged at its lower edge 28 and is provided with suitable lugs 29 for supporting the door in an inclined position, when the same is open, as illustrated in Fig. 3 of the drawing. The cam 24 has a curved upper edge, and when the door is swung outwardly and downwardly, the inner end of the cam is moved upwardly and lifts the rod 23, thereby the lifting rod and the swinging the crank arm of the rock shaft and inwardly from the position the drawing to that illus- By this construction the upwardly shown in Fig. 2 of mail matter the box signal is automatically set by the mere opening movement of the door of the letter box, and it does not require any attention on the part of a letter carrier in resetting it.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination of a mail box having the usual opening closed by a lid, a signal for indicating the presence of mail in the box, said signal being normall concealed from view, and means placed in operation by the dropping of mail matter through the opening for displaying the signal that such is deposited in the box, said means permitting the lid to be opened and closed without displaying the signal when no mail matter is deposited in the box.

2. The combination of a mailbox provided with a lid, a signal, and means operated by the lid for displaying the signal when mail matter is deposited in the box, said means including a member normally inoperative by the lid and arranged to be engaged by the mail matter, whereby said member is actuated by the lid wl en such mail matter is deposited in the box.

3. The combination of a mail box, a signal, and means displaying the signal when mail matter is deposited in the box, said means including spaced members arranged to pass each other when the box is empty and operatively connected by the mail matter when the same is deposited in the box, and a lid for connected with one of the said members.

4. The combination of a mail box, a signal, and means for displaying the signal when mail matter is deposited in the box, said means including spaced members provided with projecting portions arranged in staggered relation to clear each other when the box is empty, and adapted to receive and engage the mail matter when the same is deposited in the box, whereby one of the said members is caused to actuate the other.

5. The combination of a mail box, a signal, and means for displaying the signal when mail matter is deposited in the box, said means including spaced members provided with projecting portions arranged in staggered relation to clear each other when the box is empty and spaced apart when the lid is open to permit mail matter to drop between them, whereby one of the said members is caused to actuate the other.

6. The combination of a mail box, a pivoted chute, a lid connected with the chute and carried by the same, a signal, and means for displaying the signal when mail matter is deposited in the box, said means including separate members normally arranged to clear each other, one of the members being carried by the chute and spaced from the other when the lid is open to permit mail matter to drop between them, whereby the member carried by the chute is adapted to actuate the other member.

7. The combination of a mail box provided with a shelf, a pivotally mounted chute located above the shelf, a lid connected with the chute, a signal, and means for displaying the signal when mail matter is deposited in the box, said means including spaced members mounted, respectively on the shelf and on the chute and arranged to clear each other when the mail box is empty, and spaced apart when the lid is open to permit mail to drop between them, whereby the member carried by the lid is adapted to actuate the other member.

8. The combination of a mail box having the usual mail receiving opening and'provided with a lid for closing the said a signal, and means for displaying the signal when mail is deposited in the box, said means including a member arranged to be directly engaged by the mail matter and actuated by the lid, a crank element connected with the said member, and means for connecting the signal with the crank member.

9. The combination of a mail box having the usual mail receiving opening and pro vided with a lid for closing the said opening, a signal, and means for displaying the signal when mail is deposited in the box, said means including a member arranged to be directly engaged by the mail matter and actuated by the lid, a crank element connected with the said member, and means for connecting the signal with the crank member, the latter means also permitting the signal to move independently oi the crank element to prevent the signal from being reset by any movement of the same exteriorly of the box.

10. The combination of a mail box having the usual mail receiving opening and provided with a lid for closing the same, said mail box being also provided at the bottom with an opening, a signal movable through the bottom opening of the box and provided with an upwardly extending stem having a slot, a cram: element arranged in the slot of the stem, and an oscillatory member connected with the crank element and engaged by the mail matter and actuated by the lid.

11. The combination of a mail box, an oscillatory chute, a lid connected with the chute, a shelf located beneath the chute, an oscillatory member mounted on the shell and provided with a crank element, an actuating member movable with the chute and arranged to carry mail matter into engagement with the first mentioned member, and a signal connected with and operated by the crank element.

12. The combination of a mail box having the usual mail receiving opening and provided with a lidfor closing the same, a signal, an oscillatory member arranged to be moved opening,

in one direction by the lid when mail matter is deposited in the box and permitting the lid to move freely without operating it when no mail matter is deposited in the box, a crank movable with the said member and connected with the signal, and setting mechanism also connected with the crank for moving the said member in the opposite direction.

13. The combination of a mail box having the usual mail receiving opening and provided with a lid for closing the same, a signal, an oscillatory member arranged to be moved in one direction by the lid when mail matter is deposited in the box and permitting a free movement of the lid without operating it when no mail matter is deposited in the box, a crank movable with the said member and connected with the signal, a rod connected with the crank for moving the said member in the opposite direction, and a door having means for actuating the rod.

14. The combination of a mail box having the usual mail receiving opening and provided with a lid for closing the opening, a signal, an oscillatory member arranged to be moved in one direction by the lid when mail matter is deposited in the box, a crank movable with the said member and connected with the signal, a rod connected with the crank for moving the said member in the opposite direction, and a door having a cam for actuating the rod.

15. The combination of a mail box having the usual mail receiving opening and pro vided with a lid for closing the opening, a signal, an oscillatory member arranged to be moved in one direction by the lid when mail matter is deposited in the box, a crank movable with the said member and connected with the signal, a rod connected with the crank for moving the said member in the opposite direction, and a door provided with sides or wings, one of the said sides or wings forming a cam and arranged to engage the rod for actuating the same.

16. The combination of a mail box having the usual mail receiving opening and provided with a lid for closing the opening, a

signal, an oscillatory member arranged to be moved in one direction by the lid when mail matter is de osited in the box, a crank movable with t e said member and connected with the signal, a rod connected with the crank element and provided with a fork, and a door having a cam straddled by the fork and adapted to actuate the same.

17. The combination of a mail box having a lid, a signal for indicating the presence of mail matter in the box, and means placed in operation by the mail matter and actuated by the lid for displaying the signal when such mail matter is deposited in the mail box, said means permitting the lid to move independently of the signal when the mail box is empty.

18. The combination of a mail box provided at the bottom with an opening and having a guard extending upward from the same, a signal movable through the opening, operating mechanism including a cran element connected with the signal, a lifting rod also connected with the crank and provided with a fork straddling the guard, and a door having a cam operating in the fork for actuating the lifting rod.

19. The combination of a mail box provided at the bottom with an o ening, a pivoted chute mounted within tlie box, a lid connected with the chute, a shelf located below the chute, a rock shaft journaled on the shelf and having a crank arm, a signal operating through the opening in the bottom of the box and connected with the crank arm, upper and lower members mounted, respectively, on the chute and on the rock shaft, the upper member being adapted to operate the lower member when mai is deposited in the box, a lifting rod connected with the crank arm, and a door having means for actuating the lifting rod to reset the signal.

20. The combination of a mail box having a top opening, a movable lid for covering the opening having means for imparting movement to the mail matter dropped through the top opening, a signal, and signal operating mechanism having a member arranged in the path of the mail matter and actuated by the lid to display the signal when the said mail matter is deposited in the mail box.

21. The combination of a mail box having a top opening, a movable lid for the opening having a chute adapted to impart a movement to the mail matter dropped through the opening, a signal, and signal operating mechanism provided with a member arranged in the path of the mail matter and actuated by the lid to display the signal when mail matter is deposited in the box.

22. The combination of a mail box provided with a top mail receiving opening and having a lower door for the removal of mail, a movable lid for covering the opening having an oscillatory chute arranged within the box and adapted to impart a movement to the mail matter dropped through the opening, a signal, signal operating mechanism having a member arranged in the path of the mail matter and actuated by the lid to display the signal when mail matter is deposited in the mail box, and means carried by the said door for automatically resetting the signal to return the said member to its initial position in the path of the mail matter.

23. The combination of a mail box having a top opening, a movable lid for covering the opening having means for imparting movement to the mail matter dropped through the top opening, a signal, and signal operating mechanism having a member arranged in the path of the mail matter and actuated by the lid to display the signal when the said mail matter is deposited in the mail box, said member being located out of the path of the lid so as not to be operated by the swinging movement thereof when no mail matter is dropped through the opening.

24. The combination of a mail box having the usual opening closed by a lid, a signal for indicating the presence of mail in the box, said signal being normally concealed from view, means placed in operation by the dropping 01" mail matter through the opening for display ing the signal that such mail matter is depos ited in the mail box, said means permitting the lid to be opened and closed without displaying the signal when no mail matter is deposited in the box, a lower door for the removal of the mail, and means actuated thereby for resetting the signal upon the opening or the door.

25. The combination with a mail box having the usual dro opening and movable lid, of a signal normal y concealed Within the box and operable by the lid to expose the signal to view when mail matter is dropped through the opening, said signal being inoperable by the opening and closing movements of the lid when no mail matter is deposited in the box.

26. The combination with a mail box having the usual drop opening and movable lid, of a signal for indlcating the presence of mail matter Within the box, said signal being normally concealed from view, and means operable by the lid when mail matter is dropped through the opening, whereby the signal is exposed to view, said means permitting the lid to be opened and closed without displaying the signal when no mail matter is deposited in the box.

27. The combination of a mail box provided with a top mail receiving opening and having a lower door for the removal of the mail, a lid for covering the opening, a signal, signal operating mechanism having a member arranged in the path of the mail matter and actuated by the lid to display the signal when mail matter is deposited in the mail box, said mechanism permitting the lid to be opened and closed without displaying the signal when no mail matter is deposited in the box, and means carried by the said door for resetting the signal to return the said member to its initial position in the path of the mail matter.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

ALBERT A. KELLOGG.

Witnesses:

JOHN H. SIGGERs, E. G. SIGGERS. 

